This invention relates to new and useful improvements in flexible lower artificial dentures.
Artificial dentures have heretofore been known that are provided with adjusting means which allow one section of the denture to adjust relative to the other section for the purpose of independent movement between the sections during chewing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,277,370 illustrates a bisectional lower denture connected together at the front by screw means which permit angular movement between the sections about the axis of the screw. U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,720 shows a bisectional denture utilizing a leaf spring as a holding device and also employing a travel stop. U.S. Pat. No. 2,896,324 is directed to an artificial denture having a bridge portion capable of adjustable movement resulting from chewing forces (of mastication). Other patents, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,813,778, 3,921,293 and 4,634,381 show dentures having a resilient support for accomplishing comfort and/or flexing relative to the gums or other parts of the denture.
It has also heretofore been known to provide artificial dentures with a bottom layer of resilient material on a rigid body portion of the denture whereby to add comfort to the support on the wearer's gums. Such a resilient layer is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,006.